The Heart's Desperation
by Dark Mage 13-2
Summary: Once upon a time, there was the Keyblade's chosen, a princess, a protector, a nobody, the malevolent fairy, an evil queen, and the Dark One. This is their story of friendships, love, and woe. Sora and Kairi, Roxas and Namine. Once Upon A Time Crossover. Incomplete.
1. I: The Hero's Sacrifice

_Part I: The Hero's Sacrifice_

Once upon a time, every fairytale character you've ever known, lived in an enchanted world, where magic is a way of life. But in this land, magic always comes with a price. An evil queen, blinded by vengeance, unleashed a powerful curse, and banished every storybook character to a place where all their lives and memories were stolen. This place is our world. And every soul is trapped in Storybrooke, Maine, where the evil queen makes all the rules. And only one person can break the spell…

Storybrooke, Maine was a quaint little town. The streets came to life as the sun rises. People were slowly getting their lives together. After all, they had just remembered who they are. Unfortunately for some, that was pure torture.

Prince Charming and his grandson Henry were longing for Snow White and Emma, for they were whisked away to another dimension. But they were not alone.

A teenager with messy brunette hair and sapphire eyes walked down the streets of Storybrooke. He stared at the ground, all of his cheerfulness gone. How could he be happy if he wasn't with that one girl? The girl he loved was not there, at all. He felt depressed, as if he'll never see her again. It ached in his heart to even think about her.

The teen stopped in front of Granny's. He kept his head down as he walked in. He saw ten year-old Henry reading through the storybook that told his own life's story, and not a pleasant one at that.

"Henry?" the teen spoke. Henry looked up from his book. It was clear that he was reading the teen's story. "Can you help me find someone?"

Henry smiled for a split second. "Yeah, sure. I'd be happy to help Sora."

Sora returned the smile. "Well, at least you have an idea of who I am," he ruffled the kid's hair, and sat down.

Henry skimmed through the book. "Let me guess, you're looking for the Princess of Heart, right?"

Her title stung him like a bee. "Yeah."

Henry stopped at a picture of a fair red head girl. Her bright indigo eyes seemed to sparkle lively, even in a picture. She wore a silver crown on her head. The current picture showed her laughing at two boys wrestling. "Is this her?"

Sora only took a split second to see that she's the one. "That's her."

The kid's face turned solemn. He had not seen her at all in Storybrooke.

Once Upon A Time…

A large castle, made of sliver stones and covered in vines, stood in the middle of the secluded forest. A large balcony was placed dead center of the larger part. The castle was lit up as a thousand fireflies. Fireworks flew into the sky of all kinds of colors. Inside the ballroom, a fair princess was enjoying the festivities. She danced around, letting the world fade around her. Suddenly she stopped, giggling at the sight of one of her best friends trying to sneak a cupcake while attempting to be suave with the ladies.

The princess shook her head. "Oh Riku. Same as always." She noticed that her other best friend, the guest of honor of this grand party, was missing. The princess walked over to Riku, wanting to find her friend.

Riku had long silver hair, aqua eyes, and very built muscles. He was older, and wiser, when it came to serious situations. He turned to his friend. "What's up Kairi?"

Princess Kairi placed her hands on her hips. "Besides the fact that you are stealing all of the red velvet cupcakes," she swiped the cupcake from Riku's hand, leaving him with a slightly dejected expression. "I was wondering where Sora is, do you know where he could be?"

"Have you tried the balcony?" Riku suggested, trying to grab the cupcake and failing.

Kairi smiled mischievously. "Thank you Riku! For once, you're finally useful," she strode away, almost skipping.

It took a couple seconds for Kairi's words to register in Riku's brain. "Hey! What's that's supposed to mean?!" All he could hear was the sound of Kairi's laughter. He shook his head. "Same old Kairi."

Kairi weaved through the crowd, trying to move fast while not dropping the red velvet cupcake. She finally reached her destination, the balcony. A boy her age, with messy hair was staring at the outside world, lost in thought. She walked up to him, tapping his shoulder. He turned around, seeing Kairi with the cupcake in hand.

"I snagged you one before Riku would take them all," she said with a small smile. Sora returned the grin, and took the cupcake from her hand. "Thanks Kairi."

"So, how come you're not even enjoying your own birthday party?" she questioned.

"Well, I just wanted to think, that's all." He said, hiding something in his voice.

She raised an eyebrow. "Think? About what?"

He sighed. "I'm just, well, the Keyblade thing and all that."

"Oh,"

Sora looked down. "I don't want to burden you Kairi, but I just don't feel ready to take on protecting the realm of light all by myself. The last Keybladers disappeared eleven years ago. I'm alone."

Kairi placed her hand on his, a sad expression on her face. "Sora, you're not alone. You have me and Riku. So what if you're the only Keyblader? You're not the only one protecting the realm of light.

"Look, when I was little, my father would tell me stories about the protectors of the realm of light. They were all types, from Keybladers, to knights, to even fairies. And well, I want to be able to protect the realm, from evil, from darkness. But I can't do that. I'm forever doomed to be the princess damsel-in-distress. But I'll try my hardest to protect my kingdom, the realm, and all that is good. You're not alone," she finished.

Sora stared at her, hope renewed in his eyes. "Thank you, Kairi."

Kairi beamed. "No problem. Now, let's go inside before Riku thinks that you have stolen me away."

He rolled his eyes. "Even though I'm a Keyblader, I still can't steal you away."

Once Upon A Time…

"I'm sorry, Sora, but I haven't seen Kairi anywhere," Henry, regretfully informed.

Sora's eyes remained the same. "Thank you for your time Henry," he got up and left Granny's. He walked up the street, his heart and mind thinking. How could he contact Kairi? She wasn't here in Storybrooke, so where could she be?

Where Snow White and Emma went, that's where. He remembered his last few moments with her; the most painful memory of all. He pushed the thoughts from his head.

They say that people with deep connections with each other can 'see' each other using an important object. But the only thing that was important to Sora was Kairi's lucky charm.

How unfortunate that it fell into the hands of Rumpelstiltskin.

"Sora! Did you find her?" shouted Riku, his friend.

"No, she's not here,"

"Oh."

Sora sat down on the nearest bench. "The only way for me to at least contact her is through her lucky charm."

"But, Rumpelstiltskin has it, and he's not one to break a deal,"

"So? Emma managed to do it. Why can't I?" Sora said with a chuckle.

Riku raised an eyebrow. He has a point.

Sora began walking to Rumpelstiltskin's shop. Once he got there, he barged into Rumpelstiltskin's shop, a determined glint in his eye. Riku followed, slightly afraid, and slightly wanting to know what his best friend was going to do. Sora marched right up to Rumpelstiltskin's front desk, staring down Rumpel.

"What is it, Keyblader? " Rumpelstiltskin asked politely.

Sora's expression remained unchanged. "I need it back," he demanded.

Oh how Rumpel was not happy to hear that. "And why?"

Sora still had the determined look. "Because it's time I reunite with Kairi."

Rumpel chuckled. "I'm afraid that's not going to work."

Sora clenched his fist. "And why not?"

"You see, you gave it to me for payment. You made a deal. I would help you in your conquest, and you would give me the most important thing to you in return," Rumpel said, his tone unchanging.

"And look how good that turned out for me," Sora applied heavy sarcasm to his words.

"He's right, you know," Riku added.

"My conquest almost got me killed," finished Sora.

Rumpel stared at him oddly. "Well, you were so madly infatuated with her, you did it. You paid the price."

Sora slammed his fist on the desk, starling Riku. "Well, I paid a very hefty price."

Riku stepped forward. "That bothers me. Why did you even offer the deal in the first place?"

Rumpel waited a few seconds before responding. "Well, I don't like competition, and she has to stay alive, or else the world will lose its light."

"Competition?"

"I already have Regina as my competition; do you really think I need more?"

Sora tried to contain himself. His patience was running low. "Enough about this, I need the charm back."

"And what are you going pay in exchange? It's not something for nothing you know," explained Rumpel.

"A favor. I have nothing else,"

Rumpel eyed him. "You've got yourself a deal." He grabbed a star shaped charm from a nearby jewelry rack and tossed it to Sora. He caught it in his hands. Sora examined it. It was made by seashells strung together. On one of the shells, was Sora's face drawn onto it. In the middle, was a golden crown, very similar to the one on his chain necklace; the one he never leaves without.

It was it. "Why give it up so easily?" questioned Sora.

Rumpel grinned. "I have my reasons."

Once Upon A Time…

Kairi dragged him towards a big table, where a huge cake with lit candles was placed. Sora smiled.

"Make a wish, Sora," Kairi whispered in his ear, leaning on his arm for support.

"Blow them out!" Exclaimed Riku.

Sora took a deep breath, and blew out all the candles. Everyone who was at the party cheered. Sora didn't even notice, as he was thinking about his wish. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Kairi presented him a box with a smile. "For you," she simply said.

Sora returned the grin and took the wrapped-up box from her dainty hands. He opened it to find a charm made by seashells strung together.

His grin got bigger as he examined the charm. "I love it Kairi," he embraced her.

"I'm glad," she replied.

Sadly, the moment was ruined by Riku. "Hey! Lovebirds! Do that somewhere else!"

The two darted apart, a blush on Kairi's cheeks. Sora was grinning madly. How could anything go wrong?

The early morning sun shone on the castle. All was peaceful throughout the castle…

Except for the sudden panic attack echoing through the halls.

"Sora? Sora! Get up!" Riku practically shouted in his ear.

"Riku, go away," Sora mumbled. Why does Riku have to interrupt his sleep? He was up until three am, partying. It was his fifteenth birthday after all. Might as well party in these times.

"But Kairi's gone!"

"Yeah Kairi's gone…" Then it clicked in his brain. Sora immediately shot up. "What?!"

"She's nowhere in the castle. We looked everywhere." Riku explained.

Sora rubbed his eyes. "And the King? What is his reaction to all this?"

"He's about to send out search parties. He's in no mood to talk right now."

Filled with fear, determination, and panic all at once, Sora leaped off the sofa that he crashed on four hours before, grabbed his lucky charm with his satchel, and headed down to the armory. He ran by servants and guards, startled by his pace.

"Sorry! Excuse me. Pardon me! Sorry! I'll get that later!" He knocked over a servant holding a box of blackberries. By the time Sora got to the armory, Riku was pretty sure that almost everyone was petrified. Sora quickly putting on his armor, which was a gold color, with red mixed in. He wore black underneath. When he was done, Riku had caught up to him.

Riku had barely any breath left. "Good grief, Sora. You must really care for Kairi that much to give everyone nearly a heart-attack."

"W-What?" Sora asked, being totally oblivious.

Riku just shook his head. Poor Sora, he was totally clueless. "Never mind. What's the battle plan?"

"Split up and find out Kairi's location," Sora said. He pulled out a map.

"Why split up?"

"We'll find her faster,"

Because of the determined glint in Sora's eye, Riku didn't question it.

Sora walked through the woods for hours. His feet ached, his body weary from the armor. The trees became endless as the sky darkened. But he had to keep going. He just had to find her. He had to find Kairi. He promised her father to keep her safe and protected. It was more than that though. Sora cared for Kairi so much that he might be possibly falling for her. Maybe that's why Riku has been teasing him so much. He shook his head so he could concentrate and continued on, desperate to locate her before something horrible happened.

"A little lost?" a mysterious voice echoed through the forest. Sora whisked around behind him, nothing there. He turns back around to find a tall figure standing on top of a falling tree trunk. The figure had a black traveling cloak on.

"Who are you?" Sora questioned cautiously, slowly moving the Keyblade in from of him.

Suddenly, the cloak was gone, revealing none other than the Dark One himself.

"The Dark One!" Sora hissed.

"I prefer Rumpelstiltskin, if you don't mind," Rumpel said in his high and giddy voice.

"What do you want?" Sora slowly backed away. "If you want something, then there's nothing here."

Rumpelstiltskin grinned. "Why, I want nothing from the all-powerful Keyblade wielder. No, I was just taking a lovely little stroll through the forest, when I saw a heart filled with desperation. So, I decided to watch the show. I wanted to watch how that desperate heart was going to get what it wants without knowing where it was." Rumpel smile grew bigger as he continued. "Too bad I know where the heart wants to be. But well, since it doesn't want to know, I'll just be on my way." He began walking away.

Sora only gave himself a few seconds to think it over. He did want to know, and keep Kairi safe. As long as Rumpelstiltskin doesn't ask for something far out of his reach, how bad could it be? It would be very bad, but like he had a choice?

"Wait!" Sora called out. Rumpel smirked. "Tell me."

Rumpelstiltskin turned around. "Tell you what? I can't exactly 'help' you if I don't know what you want."

Sora sighed. "Tell me where Kairi is."

Rumpel laughed. He was getting his way. Another step in his plan was complete. "Here's a better deal. Why not I just transport you to your dear princess' location, and we'll all be on our way?"

"Because, I have nothing to give you in return," Plus Sora didn't want to become Rumpel's pawn.

"Ahh, we all know that's a lie. Everyone has something. I'll tell you what, since you insist that you're worthless, why not a two-for-one deal? I'll help you twice, and you'll only pay for one. How does that sound?" Rumpelstiltskin held out his hand. Sora was little skeptical, and the deal seemed too good to be true, but Rumpel was right about him being desperate. He shook his hand.

Suddenly, Sora was transported to a dark, depressing castle on the side of a lake. The only sunlight that shone through was from the stained glass windows. The hall was wide, with thick columns on the sides He was about to take a step forward, when a horrific sight stopped him.

It was Kairi, lying on the ground like a corpse. Her body was a still statue; a lifeless doll. Sora swiftly sprinted over to her, his heart breaking. He took her into his arms, trying to wake her. No, this couldn't be happening.

"Come on Kairi! Please wake up! Kairi! Kairi!" He tried relentlessly, but failed. Was she dead? He checked her pulse. It was very slow. He looked up, seeing a blonde woman in purple sitting on a throne, staff in hand. "Who are you?" he croaked, trying to keep himself together.

The tall woman stood up. "I'm Maleficent. This is my castle," she grinned sadistically. "I knew you'd be coming, Keyblader. After all, you best friend arrived just before you did." She pointed to Riku, chained to a pillar. Sora's eyes widened.

"Sora! It's a trap!" Riku shouted. "She's gonna kill you!"

He looked back to Maleficent, who was smiling wickedly.

"Now why would I kill an all-powerful Keyblader?" She stood up from her throne. "When all I want is power? Power that is stronger than the Dark One's magic? Hmm? And the only way to gain that kind of power is the dear Princess' pure heart, along with six other pure hearts."

"Why?" questioned Sora. "Do you even have the six?"

Maleficent glared. "No, I do not. The only one I'm about to acquire is one from a princess, one with all the beauty and attention. Of course, once my sleeping curse takes effect, that's the end of her. And the other one?" She pointed straight at Sora. "You know where it is."

"What?" Sora said confusion in his voice. "What do you mean?"

Then Rumpelstiltskin decides to pick the right time to make an appearance. "Well, now, the show is just becoming more entertaining! Now, the hero gets to save the day, or does he?" He turns to Sora.

"What do you want, Rumpelstiltskin?"

"Hmm, well, I am a man of my word. You need my help, and I'm willing to aid you. I'll help save you dear princess, and I get your lucky charm in return. This is your payment,"

Sora already decided his answer without a second thought. "Yes, please."

Rumpel was slightly surprised. "Why give it up so easily?"

"No object is worth Kairi's life," the Keyblader stood up, summoning his silver Keyblade.

Rumpel stood out of the way, snapping his fingers. The chains binding Riku to the column disappeared in purple smoke. Free, Riku grabbed his sword, and stood alongside Sora.

"I wasn't going to let you get all the glory from killing this witch,"

"Hmm, oh well," Sora said in a monotone voice.

Maleficent's expression turned from fearful, to furious. "You spiteful imp!" she shouted at Rumpelstiltskin. "You interfere with my plans?"

Rumpel smirked. "Well, with what you want, I'm pretty sure no else wants to pay the price." He vanished, leaving the two warriors to deal with the witch.

Maleficent turned to them. "At least all I have to do now is deal with you two." Dark purple smoke engulfed her. The smoke spread almost to the ceiling, and when it cleared, a purplish black dragon was standing in Maleficent's place.

Sora paled. "This is going to be a lot harder than I thought."

Riku snickered. "I thought you were tougher than that."

The dragon lunged at them, breathing fire in the process. They dodged out of the way, but just barely. The dragon, seemed to know who the biggest threat was, as she clawed at Sora, who used the Keyblade to block the attacks. He was steadily pushed back, due to lack of experience with the blade. Riku ran up to its other claw and stabbed his sword in it. The dragon cried out, setting her new target on Riku. Riku jumped out of the way just in time before dragon flames could hit him. He ran behind the pillars, while Sora was trying to get up higher.

Riku had suddenly realized he was bait. 'Thanks a lot,' he thought sarcastically. He ran behind the columns, dodging fire. Sora climbed onto the chandelier, swinging closer to the dragon.

"Hey scale face!" he shouted. The dragon looked up, her attention away from Riku. Sora jumped from the chandelier, throwing his Keyblade at the dragon's long neck. The Keyblade sliced the neck off. The dragon burst into green flames, and burned until all that was left was Maleficent's black cloak. Sora landed on the ground rather ungracefully. He was proud that he had defeated an evil witch.

But that victory was short-lived.

Rumpelstiltskin reappeared, in a very pleasant mood. "Well, now that one problem is out of the way, I'll tell you how to solve the other."

Sora got up from the ground. "How do I save her?"

"When the witch said that you know where her pure heart is, she was right," Rumpel explained.

Sora shook his head. "I don't know where it is."

Rumpel laughed. "But you do know, or at least, your heart knows. The heart, as they say, will admit more than its owner."

Sora looked baffled, then upset, then shocked. It finally clicked. "Kairi's heart, is next to mine?"

"Bingo!" exclaimed Rumpelstiltskin. "Now to get her heart back to its body and soul."

Riku eyed him suspiciously. "And how do you do that?"

"Why, with all-powerful Keyblade of course. It can unlock anything! Nyah!" Rumpel giggled.

Sora raised the Keyblade, knowing what he must do.

Riku however, knew what Sora was going to do. "No! You can't that."

Sora grinned for a second. "But, it's my duty." And then he plunged the Keyblade straight into his heart.

Rumpelstiltskin disappeared while everything happened at once. Riku watched in horror as a small light floated from Sora to Kairi. It absorbed into Kairi, and she awoke with a gasp. She looked up to Sora falling unconscious.

"S-Sora!" she shouted. She quickly got up and sprinted towards him. But it was too late. The impact of the situation has stunned Kairi. Sora lay on the floor, a stone statue. She collapsed to her knees, checking for his pulse. A faint and slow pulse, which meant he was practically dying. "No! No! Please, you can't leave us! No!" she cried, tears flowing freely. Riku got down to her level, and comforted her with a hug. She clung to him for support, crying her heart out.

Once Upon A Time…

Standing in Rumpelstiltskin's shop, Sora tried repeatedly over and over to use the charm to summon the Keyblade. "Why won't it come?"

Rumpel sighed. "Magic is different here. It's not enough to use a very momentous charm."

Sora stopped. "Have any other suggestions?"

"One that could get you killed,"

"Then I'd rather not," Sora and Riku left the shop, Sora feeling more desperate than he has in a long time.

That night, Sora watched a slightly frightening scene as he slept. It was Kairi, unharmed, and with a few familiar faces.

_Emma, Snow, Mulan, and Aurora quietly walked through the woods, hoping not to attract attention from the ogres. Ogres were not ones to mess with. They had horrible sense of sight, but amazing sense of hearing. After Emma's mistake of shooting off her gun, she started using a sword. Swords were much quieter._

_"Why can't ogres relay on sense of touch, instead of hearing?" Emma said softly, knowing the risk of talking loudly. "It'll be so much easier on all of us."_

_Snow sighed. "The world is just bent on making things tough on us. First we forget who are, remember, and then get separated from family and stuck in a God-forsaken forest with almost no way out."_

_"A lengthy summary, but okay." Emma agreed._

_Unfortunately, due to Aurora's long dress, she tripped on a huge branch, and fell to the ground, letting out a loud yelp._

_Mulan quickly helped her up, but before the four could run, an ogre was already stopping towards them. Emma's and Snow's eyes widened in shock at the ugly sight. It had a big, black hole in its own chest. It took a few more steps then fell to the ground, unconscious. Mulan cautiously approached the ogre. She flipped it to its side, examining the black hole._

_"It... cannot be. There's only one weapon strong enough to do this..." she gasped._

_"What? What weapon?" Emma asked, curious._

_Snow's eyes grew. "It's the mark... the mark of a Keyblade."_

_"You got that right," a mysterious voice echoed in the woods. Everyone looked for the source of the voice._

_A red haired female with indigo eyes stepped out into view. She wore a purple suit of armor. In her hand, was a golden, flowery weapon shaped like a key. "Whew, that was a workout," the teen said._

_Snow quickly curtsied. "Princess Kairi. Haven't seen you in a while."_

_Kairi curtsied back. "And do I, Snow White," she swung her Keyblade around._

_"First, we had Jiminy Cricket a human, then a dragon in the underground, then a Chinese legend, now a video game princess?" Emma said, exasperated._

_Kairi cocked an eyebrow._

_Snow shook her head. "Just ignore her, Kairi."_

_The five of them suddenly heard another ogre roar._

_"Follow me to my hideout," Kairi gestured to them._

Sora shot up from his dream. "B-But how?" With a new resolve, he headed out to Rumpel's shop in the morning.

Meanwhile, Riku barged into Granny's, startling Charming and Henry. "Have you seen Sora anywhere? He ditched school this morning."

"I saw him this morning," Red, a.k.a, Ruby said. "He was headed for Gold's."

And it struck him like lightning. "He's gonna do something stupid, I know it."

"What? What is he going to do?" asked Henry.

"I'm coming with you," said Charming. The two ran out of the diner, leaving Ruby and Henry behind with questions.

"They always leave me in the dust," said Henry.

Ruby gave him a quick hug. "Let's follow them."

Sora once again barged into the shop that belongs to Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpel came out of his office, as if he knew Sora would come back so soon.

"That other solution? How will it kill me? What do I need to do?" Sora calmly asked.

Rumpel took a deep breath. "You have to rip out your heart, again. Now that magic's different here, the effects can be different."

Sora, clearly not thinking, made up his mind. "That's a chance I'm willing to make."

Rumpel walked over to the young, mature teen. He reached in, and pulled out his heart. Charming and Riku arrived just in time to see the heart in Rumpel's hand. The heart then turned into a light that floated around the room before it split in half. The bigger half went back into Sora, who had collapsed onto his knees. The smaller half hovered in the middle of the room. Then a blinding white light shone from the light.

"What is happening?" said Charming, shielding his eyes like everyone else.

The light faded, and a person cloaked in black stood in the room. Henry and Ruby came in, Henry in awe.

The figure turned around, sending shock to everyone's expressions. Sora, barely able to say anything, only spoke three words. "Who are you?"

_End Part I_

Author's Note: Hello, readers! Not much to say except CLIFFHANGER! For those who even watch Once Upon A Time will have probably seen this from a mile away.

Please review to make my day.


	2. II: The Empty Shell

**_Part II - The Empty Shell_**

Once upon a time, there was a princess, whose heart is pure, and gives the gift of joy to all around her. Her two best friends are two boys who protect her and bring joy to the princess. One of the boys was discovered to have the ability to wield the mysterious Keyblade, a weapon with immense power. At first, he felt the burden of the responsibility upon his shoulders; the princess lifted the burden, and took some of it onto her. Soon after, the princess was kidnapped, and the two boys set out to find her and restore ease in the kingdom.

The man known as the Dark One, sees the desperation in the Keyblader's heart. He speaks to the chosen one, offering a deal to use magic to find the princess. The Keyblader, although skeptical, took the deal, unknowingly giving up his most prized possession, a charm from the princess. He finds her practically dead in an evil fairy's castle, along with the other protector captive. The Dark One helps them once more, and collected his payment. The two protectors fight and defeat the evil fairy. Then the Dark One informs them that the princess cannot live without her heart, which is hidden away next to the Keyblader's own heart.

Out of love, the Keyblader willingly sacrifices himself, almost killing himself and successfully bringing the princess back. The princess is nearly heartbroken when she finds him on the brink of death. However, something was created in the process of the sacrifice that could save the Keyblader's life...

A bright and shining castle made of silver and covered in vines. The entire Kingdom of Light was in grief for their lost Keyblade wielder, save for one person. The princess known as Kairi went down to a hidden room in a tower. She entered, and saw that Sora, her savior and best friend was in a sleep so deep that he didn't move an inch. A single tear fell down the princess' face as she walked over to him and took his hand into hers. "Please come back to me," Kairi croaked, trying to hold back the tears. "I won't let you go." she leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. (1)

Unknown to Kairi, Riku, her other best friend was watching from afar. He saw the look in her eyes as she watched over Sora. He had only seen the look once, and that was a long time ago. Riku walked away, wanting to give Kairi some privacy.

"It's sad to see true love split up," he mumbled. He wandered down the tower stairs and through the eerie hallways. The servants were given the day off, for the castle's residents wanted to be undisturbed. Riku reached the throne room, where the King sat, sadness evident in his eyes. "Your majesty," Riku kneeled.

The King looked up. "Rise, Sir Riku."

Riku stood up properly.

"How is Sora?"

Riku shook his head. "No sign of waking up."

"And my Kairi?" the King asked.

"Heartbroken. She's not going to leave his side anytime soon."

The King sighed. He had always trusted Sora and Riku to protect Kairi, but Sora's sacrifice was to the extreme. "I can still hardly believe that he would go to the extremes just to save Kairi's life."

Riku nodded. "Yeah, well, people will go to great lengths for that rare thing, true love."

Taking in Riku's words, the King sighed. "There's someone I'd like you to meet, and do not tell Kairi about this." he closed his eyes and silently wished. A figure that glowed bright blue appeared out of nowhere. Her wings resembled that of a dragonfly's.

"King Hashimoto, I heard your request." the tiny blue figure said.

Riku widened his eyes. "The Blue Fairy."

The Blue Fairy turned to him. "Yes, Riku. The King thought I could answer any questions."

"What happened to Sora?"

"It's the Realm of Darkness' magic. It wants to eliminate the Keybladers for it's their greatest threat, so when Sora sacrificed himself, the Darkness was going to consume him, and take his heart," the Blue Fairy explained.

"Then what happened? Why is he still in the Realm of Light?"

"Kairi's heart is of pure light. She was close by when Sora sacrificed himself. The Darkness had its grip weakened, but sadly, I don't know exactly what happened. This has never happened before,"

_Once Upon A Time..._

A dark person shrouded in a black cloak sat quietly in the crook of a tree, a dagger in their gloved hand. Their mission was simple, ambush the Queen's carriage and steal whatever they can. A black carriage rode through the woods on an old dirt trail. The curtains were drawn, and the driver was wearing a helmet. The hooded figure was about to leap from the tree and strike when the carriage stopped suddenly. The figure silently cursed and stayed hidden, not wanting to compromise their position.

The carriage door was opened by the driver, a tall and menacing woman in a black dress stepped out of the carriage. She scanned her surroundings, searching for something. The dark figure in the trees shrunk backwards, about to flee. They suddenly were pulled forward by an unseen force. They flew from the tree, and onto the dirt ground. The woman had a sadistic grin on her face.

"I must admire your bravery, most people fear my power all too much," she said in a surprisingly calm voice. "Well, tell your leader that he'll have to try harder and send someone who is older and wiser than you."

The dark person stood up, dusting themselves off. "Queen or not, you will one day met your downfall, Regina. And even though it's not going to me to bring you down, I will aid in the downfall." They spoke in a deep voice.

Queen Regina laughed. "Hah! Don't fool yourself. The only reason why your leader is stealing from the wealthy and powerful is because that's what he wants."

The cloaked person remained silent. "So, who are you?" interrogated Regina. "More than likely a new recruit, since I've never seen or heard of you before."

"That is none of your business," the figure said in a low tone.

"It is my business when someone tries to stand up to my power!" Regina ripped off the person's hood. The guards seized him by the arms. Regina was shocked. The person was no more than fifteen years old, and had dirty blonde, messy hair. His eyes were a bright sapphire blue, and a pale thin face. She had seen someone who looked just like him, a teen from the Kingdom of Radia, who was in fact a Keyblade wielder.

Lord Xemnas has possibly recruited a Keyblader.

Regina frowned. She was going to suffer at the hands of Xemnas if this boy was what she thought he was. "Let him go." She told the guards. They dropped him on the ground. "Let Xemnas know that if he crosses me again, I will make your life and the rest of the Organization's a living hell."

The teen looked up. "And how are you going to do that? I have no heart for you to rip out." he said bitterly. "None of us do."

Regina smirked. "I have other methods." She quickly hopped into the carriage and rode off, leaving the blonde-haired boy standing idly.

He scoffed. "Now why would she spare a Nobody such as me?" He pulled on his hood and wandered into the forest, wondering about why Regina would just let him, Roxas be.

The next day, he was walking down a different trail. After being scolded by Saïx, the second in command, and delivering Regina's message to Lord Xemnas, who has never shown himself to the rest of the Organization, Roxas wanted nothing more than to see and explore the world, away from Saïx's droning. It was bad enough to be youngest in the Organization, but does he have to be treated like a ten-year-old?

He kicked a stone on the road, walking aimlessly. He then heard a loud snap, possibly someone stepping on a twig. Roxas ran off the path and climbed up a tree, not wanting to be seen. He heard another snap, and a figure wearing a silver and white cloak emerged from the other side of the path. The person was taking small steps, careful and delicate. Something shined in his face. A dagger was hidden in the person's satchel. This person might be of some value. Xemnas had said to take anything from passersby.

Roxas jumped from the tree, but he had under-estimated the distance at which he would fall. So naturally, he tackled the person. It came as a shock to him, when the person's hood fell off, revealing a fair and pretty girl, most likely his age. Her flaxen hair was a bird's nest, and her eyes were a blue-violet. Somehow, he had seen her before, but he couldn't place the person's name. He continued to look at her, baffled by her. He didn't even notice that he was practically crushing the petite girl.

He noticed her breathing hitch before she spoke. "P-Please get off of me." her voice was light and airy.

Roxas suddenly remembered the position they were in. "Sorry," he got off of her and stood up. "I didn't mean to hurt you or scare you."

She gave a slight smile. "It's okay, but why did you jump from that tree?"

"I saw that you're carrying a dagger with you," he answered.

The girl pulled out her dagger. "Sadly, I have no experience with weapons. I needed it to get food, being broke and all." She dropped the dagger onto the ground.

"That makes two of us." Roxas said. "Of course, I was taught how to steal as a way to survive."

"Don't you have a job?" she asked.

Roxas shook his head. "My job actually, is to carry out missions, and one of them is stealing."

"Oh," she faltered, but then she smiled. "My name is Naminé."

"I'm Roxas," he held out his hand.

She shook it. "Nice to meet you, Roxas."

"Likewise, Naminé," he grinned. Suddenly, something appeared in his hand, something large. It frightened the both of them, for it was so random. Or was it? Roxas looked at it, surprised at what it was. It was like a giant skeleton key, but it was silver, and had two necks. The end was an oddly shaped star, with blue and gold. The hilt was guarded by silver wings, and the end had a star-shaped keychain. "W-What is this?"

Naminé ran her hand across it. "It's a Keyblade."

Roxas gave her a look like she was crazy. "A what?"

She giggled. "A Keyblade. I vaguely remember my father telling me stories about Keyblades, how they chose the person to protect the Realm of Light."

He dismissed the Keyblade. "Protect? I don't even know how to fight."

"Don't worry, you'll learn," she said. They continued to talk more, interested in the other's personality. Unbeknownst to them, a person with scaly skin and a greedy attitude was watching them from the trees.

He chuckled. "Even when true love is apart, they're still together."

_Once upon A Time_

For a couple weeks now, whenever Roxas had the free time, he would go and see Naminé. Strangely, he felt happier when he was with her. It was just a feeling he got from her, whereas when he was with the Organization, he'd feel something sinister in the air, but he pushed it off.

One day, before Roxas left to visit Naminé in the village, his mentor and friend, Axel stopped him.

"Where have you been for the past few weeks?" Axel asked, giving him a suspicious look.

"Just doing some errands and stuff," Roxas replied nonchalantly. (2)

"Ohhh… 'Errands' and 'stuff'…" Axel air quoted.

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Why are you talking like that?"

"No reason,"

Roxas remained unconvinced as he walked towards the entrance to the hideout.

"Say hi to Naminé for me, will ya?" Axel called out, a smirk on his face.

Instinctively, Roxas turned his head at the mention of Naminé. "Huh?" Unfortunately, it caused him to bump his forehead into the door. "Ow!" Axel laughed while Roxas rubbed his bruised forehead.

"So, who is this Naminé?" Axel asked.

"No one, she's just a girl," Roxas coldly responded.

"She isn't 'just a girl' if you're visiting her a lot,"

"So what? Maybe I just enjoy her company," a thought suddenly occurred to Roxas. "Axel, how did you find out about Naminé in the first place?"

Axel scratched his head. "Well, you should leave your journal out in the open. But anyways, are you sure you don't _like_ her, if you get my drift?"

Roxas narrowed his eyes. "No. Nobodies can't feel emotions, so of course I don't feel that way." He left out the door, quickly ending the conversation.

Axel rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Geeze, that kid is moody."

Roxas walked through the forest, taking in Axel's words. _'Maybe I do feel something about Naminé,'_ he thought. He got to the village, where Naminé met up with him. Curiously, she takes his hand into her own, causing a blush to appear on his cheeks. _'Yeah, I feel something.'_

A few more weeks later, the two were standing in the woods, simply talking, when Naminé turned to Roxas and quietly spoke. "Why do you work for the Organization?"

Roxas froze. Now that he thought about it, why did work for the Organization? Now that he knows about the world amongst other things, he could've left them, so why did he stay? "I don't know," he answered. "I guess it's because I have nowhere else to go." He held out his hand and summoned the Keyblade. "Maybe it's because they might have answers to what this is."

Naminé reached over and lightly touched the silver key. All of a sudden, she started feeling dizzy; the world was spinning beneath her. "Ngh..." She fell over.

"Naminé!" Roxas caught her in his arms. Her eyes were closed as blackness surrounded her. He held her, trying to wake her up, but she was already unconscious. He took her and laid her gently on a flowerbed, watching her rest. (3) He once again pulled out his Keyblade, staring at it in wonder. He didn't have this until Naminé came along, so she must be special. _'But why?'_ he thought. _'Why do I even have it? And why do I still work for the Organization? What are their motives, now that I think about it?'_

After a few hours, Naminé woke up. She sat up, still feeling a little dizzy. "R-Roxas?"

Roxas reached over and held her up by her shoulders. "Thank goodness, Naminé. What happened?"

"I-I don't know, I felt dizzy all of a sudden, then everything went black," she explained. In truth, she saw visions of a red headed girl much like herself with two boys. One had ridiculously messy hair; while the other had long silver hair. She looked up into Roxas' eyes, familiarity in them.

At that moment, Roxas saw something in her eyes, like a sparkle. It was bright and shining, and filled with emotion. However, he didn't why it was there in the first place. But he knew it was drawing him to her like a magnet.

For months, Axel kept bugging him about Naminé, and why he leaves so often, in which Roxas would not reply. Questions and curiosity grew and swirled around in his mind, until he had enough.

"Axel, what is the Organization's main goal?"

Axel snapped the book in his hands shut. "To put Regina and Rumpelstiltskin out of power."

"But why? And who's Rumpelstiltskin?"

Axel sighed. Hasn't anyone explained anything to this kid? "Rumpelstiltskin is also known as the Dark One. His power is unbreakable, and his deals are well known. Don't fall for his trap."

Powerful indeed.

The next day, Roxas was in the Organization's library, looking for more information on Queen Regina and the powerful Rumpelstiltskin. His eyes scanned the shelves, until a black leather book with golden lettering on the binding caught his eye. Roxas reached up and grabbed the book. The cover read 'The Legend of the Keyblades'. Not wanting to waste any more time before visiting Naminé, Roxas quickly stashed the book in his satchel and left.

It wasn't until a couple weeks later, when he had finally got a chance to read the book. It was the beginning of winter, and he found it hard to believe that already, nine months went by since he met her. Roxas wanted to read that book with Naminé, but he got lost in the sparkle in her eyes. The sparkle in Naminé's eyes never ceased, and he didn't want it to.

One day, the forest was covered in thick snow, and it seemed it wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Roxas was late finishing his mission, so he sprinted through the forest, hoping the snow didn't get to Naminé.

He got to their meeting place, and found her lying in the snow, blue. He grabbed her and pulled her into a nearby cave, desperate to get her warm. He found a whole bunch of timber and lit it on fire. He took Naminé's soaking cloak off, and set it by the fire. Roxas then held Naminé close, warming her up with body heat. Her blue tint was going away. He removed his own cloak and wrapped it around her. He couldn't bear the thought of her freezing to death, or dying at all for any reason. It was too much. But the fact that he was willing to risk his life for her, made one thing clear; he was falling for her.

Roxas soon fell asleep, his arms around her protectively. Naminé woke up soon after, finding the warmth of his body thawing her out. She smiled as she studied his calm and resting face. She arched her neck up to kiss him on the cheek, resting her head on his shoulder, and drifting off into a deep slumber.

When night fell, Roxas woke up, noticing the different position they were in. He blushed. Naminé was still in her deep sleep, so he gently placed her on the cave floor in a bed of blankets. He stared at her innocent face before pulling out the book he stole from the Organization's library. He looked through the passages, each of them talking about the Keyblade wars, how they vary in appearance, until he came to one about how one is acquired.

_The Keyblade choses their master. It takes a strong and pure heart for one's soul to gain the ability to wield it._

Roxas was baffled. It took a heart for someone to have the Keyblade. He was sure he didn't have a heart, so did he even have it in the first place? He continued reading.

_ This page is enchanted to show all the names of current Keybladers._

He went down the page to find only one name: _Sora_.

How come he wasn't on the page? He had a Keyblade, or maybe it was because of lack of heart? In a small fit of anger, Roxas slammed the book closed, but regretted it a little as the noise almost woke up Naminé.

When he went back to the hideout, his mind was numb, his eyes refused to sleep, and his bones were stiff. Nothing made sense anymore. Falling for Naminé, Axel straying from the subject of the Organization, lack of hearts, Keyblades. The anger rose and boiled within him, until he just wanted to explode.

All he wanted was an answer to at least one question: Who was he?

Two weeks passed, and he had sent Naminé notes saying how terrible he has been feeling lately. He was relieved when she replied back, saying it was alright. He sent a final note saying he'll visit in three days. Roxas literally had to drag himself out of bed. The anger, the confusion, and the ache in his heart were taking its toll on him mentally and physically. He stopped at the door of his room when he spotted a piece of paper on the floor by his feet. It only had seven words written in slanted letters on it.

_Answers at the Hunter's tavern. Come alone._

This had to be a trick or trap. No one would ask him to come alone, but they said they had answers; how bad could they be? If they were as bad Regina, then Roxas would be in trouble.

The next day, after his mission, Roxas went to the hunter's tavern. It was moderately loud, perfect for exchanging secret information. A man in a dark traveling cloak sat in the very back, alone. Roxas walked over to the man.

"I heard that you can give me answers to my questions. First question: who are you?' Roxas said as he sat down across from the man.

The man shifted his hood a little so he could reveal his face. His skin was scaly and sparkled. "I'm the Dark One, or as you know me as…"

"Rumpelstiltskin, I know."

"Well, of course. I am known for my power and knowledge. I'm also known to be able to see a desperate soul,"

"I'm not desperate,"

"That's what they always say, even though I'm right. You have some questions that need answering, are I correct?" Rumpel said.

Roxas looked down. "Who am I? Why do I even have the Keyblade? And why is it my name isn't in this book?" he slid the Keyblade book across the table. Rumpel opened it to the exact page that angered Roxas so much.

"Your name is in this book. Or at least, your _real _name is," Rumpelstiltskin said.

Roxas was baffled. "But there's only one name in that book."

Rumpel smirked. "And that's your name."

The blonde was shocked. "My name is…is Sora?" _'No, I can't be Sora. I can't be someone else. I'm Roxas, my own being.'_

"That's right. Everything, your heart, emotions, even your Keyblade belongs to Sora. All of it."

Roxas felt angrier than he had ever been in his life. He was nothing more than half of someone else. Nothing about him was his own; not even his love for Naminé.

He slammed his fist on the table. "Why did Xemnas lie to me?"

"Well, we all know that Xemnas wants power, but in order to do that, he needs a Keyblade. Then you came along, and he saw this as his big chance,"

This day couldn't get any worse for Roxas. He was a pawn; a mere chess piece on a board. He gave it some thought. If Sora has his heart, he could get it, and be able to fight Xemnas and be with Naminé. The anger has completely clouded his judgment. He stood up. "Where can I find this 'Sora?'"

Rumpelstiltskin smirked. "In the silver castle, up north."

Roxas walked away, only one thing on his mind; getting his heart back.

_Once Upon A Time_

Naminé sat under a tree in the forest. It was a gloomy day, and the sun was already starting to set. Where was Roxas? He said he was going to visit her today. She heard a twig snap, and she immediately hid in the bushes.

"Hello?" an unknown voice called out through the darkening forest. "I'm looking for Naminé, it's of upmost importance." Naminé peered over the bushes to see a man with bright flaming red hair and wore a black cloak. She stood up into the man's view, pulling up her hood to shield her face.

"Why do you seek her?" Naminé questioned. "And who are you anyways?"

The man walked over to her, urgency in his expression. "My name is Axel, get it memorized, and I believe this is for you." He handed her a piece of folded up paper.

She took it into her hand as she removed her hood. She unfolded it, and read:

_Naminé, I have to do this, I don't want to be without a heart any longer, and I don't want any more lies. I'm getting my heart back, and maybe I'll find yours. Xemnas has only used me as his pawn. He'll probably find out about you, so you should hide. I will see you again, real soon._

_ -Roxas_

Naminé nearly dropped the letter in shock. He was gone, but where?

Axel waved his hand in front of the shocked Naminé. "Earth to Naminé? Hello?"

"H-He's gone," she gasped.

His eyes widened. "He what?"

She looked down. "He left… something about finding his heart."

Axel ripped the letter from her hands and read it. "Oh great. He's going to do something foolish and reckless. Naminé, you have to go after him."

"Why me? Aren't you his best friend?" she asked.

"Eh, already tried to convince him not to leave, and well, as you can obliviously see, that failed," he shoved the letter back into her hand. "Look, what Roxas is going to do is probably what Xemnas wants. You have to stop him."

Naminé shook her head. "I don't even know where he is going."

Axel pointed north. "He's heading towards a silver castle in that direction."

She was about to walk off in that direction when something stopped her. "Axel…How do you know that?"

Axel refused to make eye contact. "Xemnas wasn't the only one who lied."

Naminé looked down. "One more thing…Am I a Nobody?"

There was a definite pause before a single word was spoken. "Yes."

Naminé's eyes widened, running off into the forest. They weren't so different after all. She realized what he was hiding, why he denies his emotions all the time, even she was the same.

_Once Upon A Time_

Princess Kairi sat on her bed, a stone statue. Within a week, it would be one year since Sora was chosen by the Keyblade. Just thinking about the mysterious weapon made her blood boil. _'All this happened just of one stupid key!'_ she screamed in her head as she threw a pillow across the room. She couldn't even cry; there was only rage in her heart now. She hugged her knees, wishing that this was all just a nightmare to wake up from.

Riku watched her from a crack in her door, silently wishing the same thing. Abruptly, a cloaked figure swiftly went pass him, nearly knocking him down. Riku registered what had just happened to grab his sword and run after the figure. "Stop!" he shouted.

The figure kept running until they hit a dead end. Riku held out his sword, making careful steps. "What is your business in this castle?"

The figure held out his hand, and two Keyblades appeared; one white, one black. The figure was just as surprised as Riku.

"Two?" Riku muttered. "That's impossible."

The dark person looked at the Keyblades before lifting them up. "Sorry, but no one is standing in my way, not anymore."

Riku swore he heard that voice before, but he couldn't put his finger on it. The cloaked person leaped to attack. Riku was about to strike when he realized that the person was already in front of him. He lifted up his sword in defense. The person slammed down the Keyblades, actually damaging the sword. Riku had to keep blocking each attack, for the person was an aggressive attacker. Riku leapt away, which prompted the intruder to throw one of their Keyblades. Riku waited for impact, his sword the only thing in the way. But when the Keyblade came, a light shined from Riku's hands.

When the light subsided, a weapon with a bat wing as the neck and feather wings acting as the handle guard and teeth was in Riku's hands. His eyes widened at the sight, he was another chosen one of the Keyblade.

"What?!" the person shouted, bewildered. Riku glared at him before throwing his Keyblade at them. The figure raised their Keyblades in front of them, but Riku had thrown it so hard, that when it hit and bounced back, the person was knocked back, the hood covering their identity falling down.

Riku thought that his mind was tricking him. This person was an exact replica of Sora, save for the hair color. He could only stand there and dismiss his Keyblade. The blonde replica got up and saw how Riku was defenseless. He ran off in a random direction. Once he was gone, Riku ran off to Kairi's room. He bumped into another person, this time a girl who is a replica of Kairi, except for the hair. She was about to open her mouth to talk when Riku stopped her.

"He went that way, if you were wondering," Riku said, pointing in the direction he just came from.

Without a word, the girl bowed her head and ran off after the other blonde. Riku then proceeded to find Kairi, hoping to tell her to visit Sora just once.

Roxas ran up the tower stairs, complete desperation taking over. He wanted his heart. He wanted to be with Naminé, to be real, to have something better than his existence full of lies. When he got to the top, he saw someone who looked just like him, resting, even though he wasn't moving. The person was Sora, the one who started all this, who caused Roxas so much pain and ache.

He looked over the still person, and suddenly felt images and memories flash in his head.

_Sora and Riku were racing each other through the meadow, as Kairi stood behind on the grassy hill. She grinned at the two teenagers who were still acting like ten year-olds. Suddenly, a bunch of dark shadows surrounded her. One lunged and cut her leg with one swipe of their claw. Kairi screamed. Sora and Riku immediately stopped and saw the shadows attacking Kairi._

_"Kairi!" Sora drew his sword and ran to her. He jumped in front of her and tried to fend off the attackers. But it was like hitting air, the blade went right through the shadows as if they weren't there. A larger and bigger shadow appeared and was about to hit them both. _

_In a bright flash of light, all the shadows were gone, and in Sora's hands, was a weapon known as the Keyblade. _

_All three teenagers stopped in awe; there hasn't been a Keyblader in eleven years._

_Sora got up from the ground. "How do I save her?"_

_"When the witch said that you know where her pure heart is, she was right," Rumpel explained._

_Sora shook his head. "I don't know where it is."_

_Rumpel laughed. "But you do know, or at least, your heart knows. The heart, as they say, will admit more than its owner."_

_Sora looked baffled, then upset, then shocked. It finally clicked. "Kairi's heart, is next to mine?"_

_"Bingo!" exclaimed Rumpelstiltskin. "Now to get her heart back to its body and soul."_

_Riku eyed him suspiciously. "And how do you do that?"_

_"Why, with all-powerful Keyblade of course. It can unlock anything! Nyah!" Rumpel giggled._

_Sora raised the Keyblade, knowing what he must do._

_Riku however, knew what Sora was going to do. "No! You can't that."_

_Sora grinned for a second. "But, it's my duty." And then he plunged the Keyblade straight into his heart._

_Rumpelstiltskin disappeared while everything happened at once. Riku watched in horror as a small light floated from Sora to Kairi. It absorbed into Kairi, and she awoke with a gasp. She looked up to Sora falling unconscious. _

_"S-Sora!" she shouted. She quickly got up and sprinted towards him. But it was too late. The impact of the situation has stunned Kairi. Sora lay on the floor, a stone statue._

Roxas held his head in pain. The pain soon subsided, and Roxas finally understood. He was created to save Sora's life; to save his life. He liked Naminé the same way Sora loved Kairi. In order to be whole, he had to go back where he belonged, with Sora. "I see…that's why."

"R-Roxas!" Naminé called out as she reached the top of the tower. "Please, why are you here?" She asked, almost pleading.

He had to stop himself from crying, but a single tear escaped. "I was foolish. I can't live any longer." He turned and walked over to her. "Naminé, we have to go."

She embraced him. "I don't want to leave you," she muttered, tears threatening to spill.

He shook his head. "I'm a part of Sora; just you are a part of Kairi."

Naminé looked up into his eyes. "S-So, we'll b-be together again."

Roxas nodded. "Right. Any time Sora and Kairi are together." He moved his hands to cup her face. A single tear fell down her cheek. With a heavy aching in their souls, they leaned in and pressed their lips together.

At first, the kiss was soft, warmth spreading through them. But they suddenly felt themselves fading, the lip-lock soon grew desperate, never wanting to let go. Soon, the two were gone, but their embrace never ended.

_Once Upon A Time_

Everyone in Mr. Gold's shop stared at the newcomer. He was the splitting image of Sora, save for his dirty-blonde mess of hair. He looked around, reality setting in; he was finally free.

"W-Who are you?" Sora asked, getting up.

The blonde's eyes flickered with anger. His eye moved from Sora, to Regina, to Rumpelstiltskin, then back to Sora. "My name is Roxas, and I have business with you." Roxas grabbed Sora by the shirt and dragged him outside, tossing him to the ground in a fit of rage. "This is your entire fault!"

Sora rubbed his head in pain as he got up. "What did I do?"

"You took away my existence. You forgot everything whereas I remembered it all. And the worst one: you are the reason why Kairi is not here! Your stupid decision took her away from me and you!" Roxas shouted, the pent up anger exploding.

Sora would not stand for this. "I was protecting her; I didn't even know you existed until now! And what do you know about me?!"

"I know everything because I am _you_! When you gave your life for Kairi, _I _was created to save you from dying. You should be on your knees thanking me, or I know, getting her back!"

Charming stopped the war of words. "That's enough. The past is in the past, there's nothing we can do about it."

Roxas stood back and breathed. "I'm sorry. You're not the one who's had to watch for 28 years, knowing who you are and aren't able to do anything about it."

Rumpelstiltskin interfered. "So you remembered, huh."

Regina was confused. "How was that possible?"

"The curse varies from person to person. Sora's curse was forgetting, while his Nobody, Roxas' curse was remembering. Of course, the curse could not touch the heart or soul, so he remained unaffected by the curse."

Sora suddenly realized why Rumpel had him release Roxas. "So, you're saying he might still be able to wield the Keyblade?"

Roxas looked at him oddly. He held out his hand and summoned Oblivion. Sora then took the Keyblade into his hand so he could try and summon his own. However, before that could happen, both of them fell to the ground unconscious, visions of Kairi and Naminé in a very familiar forest.

_Once Upon A Time_

Kairi stopped in the middle of the tower stairs as she felt a soft feeling upon her lips. It was warm and faint. After a few minutes, the feeling subsided, leaving Kairi perplexed and disappointed. She climbed the tower stairs all the way to the top, where Sora slept. She walked over to him, still seeing the color missing from his skin, his body as stiff as stone, but a very low pulse. She gave a ghost of a smile and intertwined her hand with his, all hope leaving her pure heart completely.

Then he stirred. The action surprised Kairi so much that her heart stopped. He moved some more, until his eyes finally opened for the first time in many months. Sora looked up into Kairi's eyes. "K-Kairi," he muttered.

Tears of joy flowed freely down Kairi's cheeks. "S-Sora!" She embraced him, never wanting to let go. Sora hugged her back just as eagerly.

"Thank you, Kairi,"

"Sora…" she whispered.

_Once Upon A Time_

Roxas sat at the front table at Granny's, staring off into space. Riku came by and sat next to him.

"We're going to find the girls, don't worry," assured Riku.

Roxas sighed. "It's not that I'm really concerned about. What I'm concerned about is the Organization that took me in."

"What about them?"

"Well, I think their leader, Xemnas, might be planning his revenge. Not just against me, but also against Rumpelstiltskin and Regina."

Riku didn't know what to make of this.

_End of Part II_

Author's Notes: Hello again. Yes, when you think everything is explained, pop goes the cliffhanger. XD

(1): Even if Kairi kissed Sora on the lips, he still wouldn't wake. The only thing that would happen is a weird sensation occurring on Roxas and Naminé's lips.

(2): Guess where I got those quotes. Go on, guess. ;)

(3): This scene actually came from one of my very first fanfictions. Of course, it never made it to the internet, so the story behind it is a mystery.


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